Chamber Gooses FCC to Loosen Satellite-Spectrum Rules

Washington -- The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has asked the Federal
Communications Commission to expedite its release of rules allowing more flexible
use of satellite spectrum.

FCC chairman Julius Genachowski has proposed allowing
terrestrial use of satellite spectrum in the 2-Gigahertz band as a way to
promote and expand wireless broadband service and competition.

That would allow Dish Network to launch a mobile broadband
network. The No. 2 U.S. satellite-TV provider had sought a waiver of
restrictions on satellite spectrum use to do so, but the FCC did not rule on
the request, pointing to the wider proceeding on changing the rules for
everyone.

The chamber said that the FCC should push its timetable for
the more flexible rules for bands currently restricted to mobile satellite
service (MSS) from the end of the year to the end of the third quarter.